All eyes will be on Thorp Arch on Monday afternoon as Barry Douglas returns to action for the first time in almost a month.

Marcelo Bielsa said in the pre-Forest press conference that the left back will get an important chance to build up his match fitness in today’s U23s fixture.

If all goes according to plan, Douglas will line up for Carlos Corberan’s U23s today in their league match against Hull at Thorp Arch at 1pm this afternoon.

The U23s return to league action after their 5-0 Premier League Cup victory against Notts County last week. They sit top of the Professional Development League and today’s opponents sit second bottom in ninth.

This is the first time the Scot has played since since he limped off the pitch with 10 minutes to go in the 1-0 victory against Hull City on Tuesday 2 October.

Douglas has been out of action since the start of October (Image: Nigel French/PA Wire)

Douglas has missed four games and his absence has left Bielsa with a selection headache. The left back position has been filled by various players including Gjanni Alioski, who plays in that position for Macedonia; Gaetano Berardi who left the field injured in the 25th minute against Ipswich; and Stuart Dallas. Saturday’s game against Nottingham Forest also saw an opportunity for Tom Pearce who came on following Luke Ayling’s first half injury. Pearce himself was substituted 40 minutes later.

Although Berardi has played at left back on many occasions, Tom Pearce is the only natural cover for Douglas. However, his game time has been limited to appearances from the bench in Douglas’s absence.

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Bielsa will be hoping that Douglas makes it through this afternoon’s match with no setbacks. He described the latest injury to Ayling as ‘an important injury’ so, with Ayling set for a spell on the sidelines, and Berardi still out injured, the club can ill afford to lose Douglas for any further period of time.